Cell Phones

[skynet]

I am thinking about getting a cell phone. I never really followed models but here is what I am considering. I am thinking about going with T-Mobile as a provider. Probably the 'Get More' National Rate Plan @ 39.99. All of my calls will really be long distance with a few local.

As for phones I am considering


Sony Ericsson T68i Phone (T-Mobile)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006IZB0/qid=1045198627/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-8681927-2459924?v=glance&s=wireless&n=507846


Or
Sony Ericsson T300 Phone (T-Mobile)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/wireless/B000084V4W/glance/qid=1045198895/sr=1-2/104-8681927-2459924


If I am going to pay for this thing, I want email on it, but everyone on amazon complains of slow speeds. I doubt I can redline that thing, even then it would probably eat up the batteries :(.

As for other phones, I would like them to have a good res screen for email and I would connect my website to it eventually for some fun WAP services. I also like how the one phone can play MIDIs. I find the ringers on most all other phones annoying. Reminds me of a smoke alram, just cuts through the ears. I don't care about playing games, weight isn't an issue, honestly though I'd rather have it heaver than lighter. I don't need to chat or text to text, the email is fine. I'd be a plus if I can hook it up to my main rig and transfer things, but that is no biggie. The slowness is what really gets me, I really don't want to wait for the phone to load the screens.

What do you all suggest or have?

[brain]

The T300 has HORRIBLE resolution. I think the phone w/ the best resolution that T-Mobile has to offer is probably the Samsung S105 or V205.

[Freelance Superhero]

i see brain is right back with all the cell phone talk...

[Tommy Boomfiger]

if you are going to travel out to the sticks ever, id say stay away from tmobile or any gsm only phone. outside of the coverage area, you get no service at all, not even roaming service. if you are going to stay inside thier coverage area, go for it. thier coverage map is slightly deceitful, or at least it used to be, i cant pull it up on thier site. on the last map i saw from them the only coverage is inside the pink area. outside that your phone will probably do a good job as a paperweight. if its not too light.

if you havent done so already, make sure tmobile has good coverage and call quality in your area. you might want to check out www.howardforums.com or www.wirelessadvisor.com . also, different phones perform differently with the same provider and in different parts of the country. if you take a look on those forums there should some talk about how different phones work in different areas. id say pick the provider first and then the phone. which is backwards compared to what a lot of people do and then they complain that thier service sucks.

[Tommy Boomfiger]

here is a pic of tmobiles coverage area
http://www.t-mobile.com/images/maps/national_us/national_us.gif
as you can see, the most populated areas are well covered while the boonies are not. i was considering tmobile a few months ago because i am unhappy with my current provider and when i inquired about coverage i was told that the beige area is "toll free calling area". this translates to you can call TO this area as if it were a local call. cant call from there :rolleyes:

[psycho-]

Umm...Don't get the T68. The antenna has a design flaw. I know guys who worked on the phone and there's a whole story behind it.

As for the T300, i have it, but the RF is definitely not as good as the S-105 by Samsung. THe Samsung is solid. unfortunately I lost it in China...close to Tibet...at a friggin Walmart (that city had a Sam's Club too)

As for coverage with T-mobile. I'll tell you this: I only trust Verizon or AT&T TDMA with coverage. AT&T TDMA sucks during rush hour and in metro areas during peak and offpeak times. (it's an issue with the IS-136 Air interface timeslots as well as physical circuits from the base station). Verizon has the more efficient CDMA air interface, which is IMPO a better standard.

As for my T-mobile phone, it's just for fun. I won't actually rely on that phone.

So, if you wanna make sure you can make that 911 call in the middle of a desert in arizona, make sure you're going with Verizon or AT&T TDMA. If you want fun phone where reliability isn't an issue, go with a GSM provider.

[skynet]

Thanks for the advice. I will be going over those sites once class is over today. My olny beef with the samsung is that they are so thin and light. I really feel like I am going to break them. A friend of mine had a samsung and I just felt like it was flimsy.

Thanks for the coverage tip, I mostly will be staying in the coverage area, but it is not worth the chance if anything ever happens and I am outside of it.

[eSDee]

I have Verizon and I've been thinking about getting either the Motorola t720 (http://commerce.motorola.com/consumer/QWhtml/t720lp.html?cmid=MOTOBG015) or the Kyocera Smartphone (http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/7100_phone/7100_phone_series.htm), should it ever come out. Does anyone know anything about these?

[hapoo]

DEFINATELY go for the Samsung S105 or 205. Its my first cell phone but compared to my friends its in a class of its own. Most of the time you can't people can't even tell your talking from a cell phone. And the screens big and nice :) (although you can't see anything in daylight).

[skynet]

I stopped by the Verizon Wireless store just before they closed tonight. I really didn't like the samsung flip phone. The buttons were really odd and I really feel like I would break it.

I am liking the Samsung n620 though
http://www.samsungelectronics.com/mobile_phone/wireless_terminals/gsm/sgh_n620_features.html

But I think Verizon doesn't support that phone, I will double check with them though.

Thanks

[ramazank2]

I have the T300 with T-Mobile and I am happy with it but I think I would suggest the Motorola T720. The resolution is quite bad on the T300 but doesnt matter much to me. The only problem with my phone is that it sometimes doesnt connect even though there is full service. So I just stop the call and try again it usually works. Much better than my previous Nokia 8290. I do like the MIDI file ringer and the camera to have pictures of my friends appear when they call. But uploading them to the phone gives a much better picture on the phone. Dont buy phone for the WAP capabilities too difficult/pricey in my book

[brain]

Originally posted by skynet
I stopped by the Verizon Wireless store just before they closed tonight. I really didn't like the samsung flip phone. The buttons were really odd and I really feel like I would break it.

I am liking the Samsung n620 though
http://www.samsungelectronics.com/mobile_phone/wireless_terminals/gsm/sgh_n620_features.html

But I think Verizon doesn't support that phone, I will double check with them though.

Thanks

Yes, Verizon does not support this phone because it utilizes GSM technology.